Russia's national Investigative Committee says the head of the medical directorate at the Interior Ministry has been arrested after investigators allegedly saw him accepting a huge amount of cash over government contracts.

Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said General Yury Sabanin was detained on June 20 while taking possession of a briefcase containing 2.5 million rubles ($76,000) from an official of a private company.

The spokesman said the cash was allegedly part of a payoff for helping the firm secure contracts with the Interior Ministry.

The spokesman suggested that Sabanin had received one installment of 1 million rubles ($30,400) on an alleged bribe last year.

During the arrest, the spokesman said Sabanin tried to get rid of the briefcase by throwing it out a window and later claimed to be having a heart attack.